Everything Grows

My baby turns one this weekend. I can't quite get over how the time has flown by. She is our third child so there is no need for toys or clothes or books or yard things because we have them all still. I was wracking my brain to think of a gift because she *has* to get something. Finally, I decided on a quilted growth chart. I went with a flower, of course. It isn't original but flowers grow as babies do and I love flowers (and babies too for that matter). The lavender colored fabrics are scraps from her quilt and the greens pick up the color in her wool rug.

I started with the roots.

And moved up to buds and small flowers.

Then I made a larger flower with a little bird and a butterfly.

And finally, there is the big flower at the top.
I like how it came out but I am ticked off at myself because after all of my careful figuring, I went and appliqued the caterpillar with her birth length and date at the top of the grass rather than the bottom of the grass where I had planned! There was no getting it off and moving it so it will have to stay put. As long as she is short like her mom (5 feet), the chart will be just fine. I had planned for it to go to 5'5" or something like that. She seems to be following my growth curve so this might be ok. I also assume that there is a good chance that she will no longer want it hanging in her room by the time she is 5'2".
I marked the inches along the left side and free motion quilted "2 feet," "3 feet," "4 feet," and "5 feet." I am planning to applique a leaf for each year, with the tip pointing to the right spot on the chart and connect it with a quilted stem. On the leaf, I will write the measurements and the date. As I mentioned, I started with her birth date and length on a caterpillar. I will add her 1 year stats when she goes to the doctor this week and gets measured.
I think she will have fun watching her growth. I hope so!